Cut the reserve price

Govt must look beyond revenues in spectrum auctions

The new year has set the mood for telecom auctions in the country with the government announcing the 4G spectrum bidding timeline. This is only the beginning as the real play is expected later in the year when 5G auctions are announced. 5G telecom services will mean a whole new universe of cutting-edge technology for enterprises and businesses across sectors from health care to education to consumer goods, riding on artificial intelligence and internet of things (IoT). For that to happen, private telecom service providers Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea will need to invest substantially in 5G services,